Machine for making friction elements



July 25, 1933. H. N. SMITH MACHINE FOR MAKING FRICTION ELEMENTS Filed Oct. 27, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet l ll ll llll July 25, 1933. H. N. SMITH I MACHINE FOR MAKING FRICTION ELEMENTS Filed Oct. 27, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 1 Patented July 25, 1933 I UNITED/STATES PATENT- OFFICE! HARRY n. sMITr for nnrn-orr, rrIc riGAN, ASSIGNOB To AMERICAN ,BRAKEBLOK CORPORATION, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK MACHINE m, Max ne r-aic'rron ELEMENTS Application filed oetobe r 27, 1930. Serial No. 491,375.

This invention relates to certain novel improvements in machines for making friction elements and the like wherein a material is introduced in a hopper and extruded therefrom to be formed into a strip-like member including a suitable reenforcing backing.

The salient objects of the invention are to provide a novel machine wherein the mate.- rial is introduced into a hopper from which the material is extruded by a device arranged at the lower end of the hopper; in which the device at the lower end of the hopper will not only bring aboutan extruding of the material butwill also agitate the material in order that a uniform amount of the material may be extruded from the hopper; in which the device is arranged to include a portion bringing about a feeding action adjacent the dischargeopening of the hopper in a manner which insures the discharge of suflicient, yet not excessive, material; in which the device for bringing about the extruding or discharge 1 of the material is so constructed that packing of the material therein will be substantially obviated; in which a device is provided for packing the material into the forming mem bers in ,order that a substantially uniform amount of the material is fed to the forming members in order that a uniform product is attained irrespective of the thickness there- 7 of; and in which the forming members are adjustable relative to each other in order that strips of "different thicknesses and: widths may be formedin the machine. I

A selected embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings an enlarged-scale, showing the feeding,

packing and forming means of my improved device;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary detail viewillustrating the forming and compressing p'ortions of the machine; I

F ig. 5Iis a fragmentary plan view of the packing means employed in the machine; and V r Fig. 6 is a, fragmentaryside view of a portion of the arrangement illustrated in Fig. '5.

The machine, asdisclosed in the'accompanying drawings, is an improvement over theimachine described and claimed in my co-pending application, Serial No. 402,100,

' filed October 24, 1929. In the machine disclosed in that application a belt is provided on which cleats are arranged, and this belt serves to carry material from a hopper out to forming members. chine a hopper 7 is provided which is substantially similar t0 the hopper disclosed in my referred to application, but in place of the belt I provide a screw, generally indicated by 8, which isarranged at the lower end 'of'the hopper 7. One end of the screw 8 is journaled in a bearing provided at the lower end of an arm 9 carried by the bracket 10,. and the opposite end of the screw is journa'led in a suitable bearing structure 11 provided at the rearend of thehopper 7, the end of the screwjournaled in the arm 9 servingasthe discharge end; As clearly illustrated in the drawings, the lower wall 12 of the hopper '7 is inclined and the screw" is similarly inclined. On the shaft of the screw 8, outwardly of the bearing 1-1, a sprocket 13 is provided about which a chain 1 1 is disposed, said chain also being disposed around (the sprocket 15 mounted on the drive shaft 1'6. A suitable source of power as, for example, the motor 17, is provided which is connected by the belt 18 to the pulley- 19 of the speed reducing unit 20, which speed reducingunit 20 includes a gear 21 which meshes with the gear 22 on the shaft 23' that; is journaled in bearings 24,2 l can 7 ried by the frame 25 of the machine; The

gear 22 meshes with a gear 26 mounted on a stub shaft journaled in the bearings 27 and the stub shaft carries abevel gear-28 which meshes with a bevel gear 29 at the inner end of the shaft 16. The member, indicated In the present macompressed by the rollers and joined to the reticulated strip- 48, and the material com-1 pressed by the rollers and joinedwith the strip 48.passes out on the delivery platform 50 below the riding weight 51' which is held against displacement by the weight thereof resting on the strip and by engagement thereof with the bracket52. In order that the. discharge opening from the hopper"? will be of a proper size relative to the space between the flange 33 and the collar 34 and the space between the rollers 32 and 44, an adjustable plate 53 is mounted over the discharge opening of the hopper 7 ,and this ad'- justable plate determines the size of the discharge opening and'preferably the size of this discharge opening is such that the quantity of material forced'from the hopper 7 will be of a volume such that it will compress sub-' stantially four times when passed between the rollers 44 and 32. In order to insure the passage of a sufficient quantity of material to the rollers 44 and 32 when a relatively thick strip is to be formed therebetween, I provide a packing arrangement, generally indicated by 54, which includes a frame in which a shaft 56 is journaled which shaft 56may be connected through the gear 57 to a gear 58 (Fig. 2) on the shaft 23 or to any other-suitable point to be rotated. As best illustrated in Fig. 5, oppositely-directed, alternately arrangedcranks 59, 60, 61 and 62 are provided on the shaft 56, and in the present instance only the cranks 59 and are utilized, the additional cranks being usedwhen the collar 34'is spaced from the flange 33 in an amount greater than that illustrated. Connectedto the crank 59 is a crank arm 63 and a similar crank arm 64 is connected to the crank 60. As best illustrated in Fig. 6, a pin 65 is provided in the end of the crank arm '63. A plunger 66- is provided which includes a bifurcation 67 and in the limbs, on oppositesides'of the bifurcation, slots, such} as 68, are provided into which the pin 65 is extended. IA spring anchor 69 engages the end of the crank arm 63 and a spring 70'extends between theanchor 69 and'the end oflthe bifurcation 67and-normally urges the pin into the position illustrated in Fig. 6 at the 'outer ends;

of the slots68. Therefore,"when the crank 59 isoperated the plunger 66 will be'forced inwardly into engagement with the material extruded through the discharge opening in the hopper 7, and this plunger'will force the material between the rollers 44'and 32.

If however an excessive amount of material 9 7 ispresent, the plunger 66 Wlll encounter re-- sistance and therefore sa'idplunger will be excessive amount of material being forced between the rollers. "In a similar manner,

' spirit and scope a plunger 71 is connected to the crank 60. It is unlikely. that the combined width of the plungers 66 and 71, or if additional plungers are provided on the other cranks,the combined width of these cranks, will equal the width of the space between the flange 33and the collar 34. I therefore provide spacers,

such as 72, which may be employed to fill in the space between theplungers and the collar 34." As many of these spacers as necessarywill be provided, and preferably the outermost of the spacers will be joined to the screw 73 mounted in the frame 55.0fthe packer dev1ce54, said screw being mov-- able. to provide an adjustment and being held in adjusted position by the lock nut' 74.

It is manifest. from the foregoing de scription that I- have provided a machine in which friction elements and the like may be formed into strip 1 formation and that I have provided 'this'machine with a means whereby the material is extruded from the hopp'erintov'hich it is introduced in a uniform inanner. Furthermore, I have pro Vided an arrangement whereby the material extruded iirthisuniform manner is forced toward the forming "device. have found that this latter device need not be employedjunless so' desired as a uniform product is produced by merely relying on theuniform feed provided by the screw 8,

and thus if desired the packer 54 may be removed from the machine. However, it is advantageous to employ the packer under certain conditions, especially when a rela- However, I

tively thick strip is to beformed in the del vice. Furthermore, byproviding a screw constructed 1n the manner described, the material in the hopper, 1s agitated and .uni-

'formly fed so that the likelihood of lumps of material or' other undesirable conditions are eliminated. As the screw 8, providing the feeding means, the packer 54, providing the'material forcing means, and rollers 32 and 44, providingflthe forming means, are operatedfrom a common source of power it is apparent that synchronic operation of these partsis easily attained.

lVhile I have illustrated and described selected embodiment of my invention, it is to be understood that this s capable of variation' andmodification and I therefore do not wish to be limited to the precise details i 1.In a machine of the class described, a

hopper havinga discharge. opening therein, forming means, a screw member mounted in said hopper, means for rotating {Said screw" member whereby material -Wlll be forcedthereby through said discharge open- 4 ing to saidformi'ng means, said screw member havmg the convolutions thereof proto said forming means, means for, forcing f 'Vided by a plurality of spaced apartipins cxtendingwradially fromvthe axial portion thereof, said pins being arranged to (provide a single lead on; said screw member throughout the mainportion of the. extent thereof and being arranged to provide a double lead on-said screw member in the portion thereof adjacent said discharge opening, and other pinsextending diametr' Vrically throughsaid shaft in the portion thereof provided with a-double leada,

2. In a. machine of the class described, a

hopper having a discharge opening, :forming, means, means for feedingmate-rial from sa d hopper throughsaid discharge opening Jthe material passed through said discharge opening into said forming means, and means providing a yieldable portion in said forcing means wherebyionly a proper amount of material Will be forced into said forming means.

discharge opening into saidforming means.

a. In a machine of the class described, a hopper-shaving a discharge opening therein,

forming means, means for feeding material ,from' said hopper through said discharge opening, reciprocal plungers, means for sopcrating said plungerswhereby said plungers will force said material passe'dffrom said discharge openinginto said forming means,

- ers to said operating means. a

and means yieic'lablyconn'ecting said fplung 5. In a machine of. the, class-described, a

' hopper having a discharge opening therein,-

forming Ineans,-means for feedmg material 7 from said hopper through said discharge openingfreciprocal V plungers, 1nean s }for op erating said plungers whereby sa d plungers "Will force s; id material passed through saiddischarge opening into said forming means,

and means for yieldably"connectingsaid .plnngcrs toisaid operating means.

" 6. In a machine of; the class .described,a hopper haying a dls'charge' opening therein,

means for feeding material {from saidhop per tl irough saiddischarge opening, variable opening,

forming means, and means :includingyield-f able portions for forcingun'aterial fed through said discharge opening into said; forming means, said forcing means including portions adapted to be adjusted Whereby said forcing means may be varied to correspond to Variations of said forming means.-

7. In a inachine of the classdescribecha iopper'having a discharge'f'opening therein,

means for varyin-githe size of saiddischarge variable forming means, and means for; forcingzniatenal fed through sithldls charge opening into said forming means, sald forcing meansmcludmg portlons adapted 'to be adjusted wherebysaidforcing means may be Varied to correspond to variations of aidforming means and the size of said discharge openingf I .7 .j r I 8. A machine of the-class described includingra hopper having an inclined lower Wall and havinga discharge opening adjacent thelowermost portionrof said Wall,

feeding material from'said hopper through said discharge opening, formmg-means ad acent said discharge opening, means operating saidfeeding means and said; forming means whereby material from said hopper is fed into said forming, means and tom pressed therein into "strip formation, means directing rcenforcing member for said strip to saidforming means whereby said material is joined with said reenforcing member by said forming means, means sup porting a supply of said reenforcing member in supplying position, said means including a portion on which an additional'supply of said reen'forcing member is arranged-wherebeencwithdrawn from; the means supporting it-in supplying position said additional supply of said reenforcing member may be quicldy moved into supplying position.

V9'. In a machinelof the class described, a hopper having a discharge opening therein, means for varying the size of saiddischarge opening, forming means, and means for forcing material fed throughjsaid discharge nean's" arranged parallel with said Wall for,

by when all" of the reenforcingmember has i opening. into said forming means, said fore- 111g means including portions adapted to be adjusted whereby said forcing meansmay be variedtocorrespond to'variations inthe size of said discharge openin a j a; r IOF'A machine ofj'the classdescribed includinga hopper having a discharge open- .inggmeans forfeeding material from said hopper through said discharge opening,

formingmeansadjacent said discharge openmg,i neans operatingsaid feeding means and,

said forminggmeans whereby material from i said hopper is fed into said forming means and compressed. there ninto strip, formation,

means directing a reenforcing' member for said strip 'tosaid "forming means whereby,

said material i's'ijoinedWith said reenforc? ing'member bylsmdformmg" means; and

means, supportinga supply of said reenforC- ing member {in supplying position, said means including a portion on which an additlonal supplykof saidreenforcing member is arranged whereby when all of said reenforc 'ingf member, has been Withdrawn from the 7 means supporting 1 it in supplying position said-additional supply of said. reenfcrcing member maybe quickly-moved into supplying position, 1 7

"115A machineof the class described in tion supporting a supply of said reenforcing member in supplying position and including another portion supporting an additional supply of said reeic'orcing member Where by when all of said reenforcing member has been Withdrawn from the supply thereof in supplying position said bracket may be moved to move said additional supply of said reenforcing member into supplying position so that said reenforcing member may be continuously fed to said forming means.

HARRY N. SMITH. 

